Click here to return to OFCN's Main Index Page.
THE NATIONAL EDUCATION GOALS PANEL
NEGP Weekly
THE UPDATE ON AMERICA'S NATIONAL EDUCATION GOALS
__________ __________
SERVING THEIR COMMUNITY | SPOTLIGHT |
Students in Jefferson Parish | |
(La.) who are members of the | TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE |
Class of 2001 will be the first | |
required to perform community | Congratulations are in |
service to graduate, according | order for the nation's |
to a recent school board | fourth-graders who posted |
decision (Vaishnav, New Orleans | better-than-average scores |
TIMES-PICAYUNE, 6/5). The | on the Third International |
school board will decide this | Mathematics and Science |
summer the number of service | Study (TIMSS). U.S. |
hours required for graduation. | fourth-graders outperform- |
Under a proposal submitted by | ed students in all but one |
Janet McLin, the school | country -- Korea -- in |
system's executive director of | science. They posted |
instruction, students who did | scores higher than 12 |
not serve 60 hours by the end | countries in math. Twenty- |
of their junior year would have | six nations participated in |
to take a one-semester | the fourth-grade TIMMS. |
community-service course. The | |
paper notes that St. John the | The good news was |
Baptist Parish public schools | heralded by educators and |
required community service | politicians alike, |
beginning in 1995. | especially given the |
| abysmal TIMMS performance |
TECH HELP | last year of American |
The DAILY REPORT CARD is | eighth-graders. |
interested in promising | |
practices related to technology | One explanation for the |
in the classroom. Please send | drop in achievement from |
info to: 202/632-0957 (FAX); | fourth- to eighth-grade: |
or, drc_publisher@goalline.org. | teachers unprepared to |
Please include a contact name | teach science and math at |
and phone number or e-mail. | the higher levels. (#3) |
Thank you for your help. |_____________________________|
============== QUOTE OF THE DAY ==============
"Everybody is passing tougher standards, but Chicago is actually
holding students to them."
Kathy Christie, a spokeswoman for the Education Commission of the
States. (#2)
_______________________________________________________________
| (c) by the Education Policy Network, Inc. |
| 1255 22nd Street NW; Washington, D.C. 20010; 202/632-0952 |
| EPN, Inc. hereby authorizes further reproduction and |
| distribution with proper acknowledgement. |
| Publisher: Barbara A. Pape |
|_______________________________________________________________|
============== TABLE OF CONTENTS ==============
GOAL TWO: SCHOOL COMPLETION
MONROVIA: City is model for tough-on-truants law. (#1)
GOAL THREE: STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND CITIZENSHIP
CHICAGO STUDENT BLUES: The end of social promotion. (#2)
FOURTH-GRADE MATH ACHIEVEMENT: Looking good. (#3)
GOAL SEVEN: SAFE SCHOOLS
LAS CRUCES' FASHION STATEMENT: School uniforms. (#4)
GOING FOR THE GOALS
AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN PERSPECTIVE: Data book on education. (#5)
HOW TO GET ON THE DRC LIST-SERVE
To subscribe: Send an e-mail message from the account you
wish to subscribe to rptcrd@mail.apn.com with the word
"subscribe" as the "subject." Please do not write anything in
the text section; only type in "subscribe" under "subject" in the
memo heading. You will receive a short message confirming your
subscription. If you encounter difficulties subscribing, send a
message to drc@mail.apn.com, detailing the problem.
To unsubscribe: Follow the above instructions, but type
"unsubscribe" as the "subject."
===== GOAL TWO: SCHOOL COMPLETION =====
*1 MONROVIA: CITY IS MODEL FOR TOUGH-ON-TRUANTS LAW
A unique collaboration of the police, school officials and
the Chamber of Commerce has put tiny Monrovia, Calif., on the map
as a model city for combatting truancy and, in the process,
juvenile crime (Riccardi, L.A. TIMES, 6/5). The city's anti-
truancy ordinance requires police to stop suspected truants and
"issue citations of $135 to those who turn out to be ditching
school," writes the paper. The city also boasts a mandatory
school-uniform policy for elementary and middle school students.
In 1990, the Monrovia Police Department decided to combat
property crimes by devising a community-policing program that
included cracking down on truancy. A committee of local leaders
was formed to produce anti-crime measures. The truancy law and
the school uniform policy were products of the committee that won
rave reviews from President Bill Clinton, notes the paper.
According to the TIMES, the Monrovia programs, particularly
the truancy law, is the basis for a proposed statewide daytime
curfew being debated in the state Legislature. Monrovia police
point out that since the law was passed two years ago, daytime
burglary has dropped 54%, theft is down 48% and grand theft auto
has decreased by 55%.
However, skepticism is alive and well in Monrovia. Mike
Males, a doctoral student at U of California, Irvine and author
of "The Scapegoat Generation," observed that neighboring cities
have lower adult arrest rates for drug offenses and assault than
Monrovia. Males: "Arcadia had more juvenile burglaries but
fewer domestic assaults and fewer felony drug offenses [committed
by] adults. If the Monrovia police are going to claim credit for
reducing juvenile crime, do they want to take the blame for
having grater felony drug arrests?" He added: "I'm just urging
some skepticism about the city of the hour."
Los Angeles officials were impressed with Monrovia's record
and credits its two-year-old anti-truancy law for the drop in
daytime crime (Lait, L.A. TIMES, 6/5). According to the Los
Angeles Police Department, daytime crime in the city has dropped
20% to 45% in categories including burglary, shoplifting and car
break-ins since the anti-truancy law was passed.
The police study concedes that there has been a nationwide
drop in the crime rate, but adds that the drop in Los Angeles for
10 types of crimes typically committed by youth offenders has
dropped even more dramatically than the nationwide average.
"This report clearly shows that where there is a truancy problem,
a corresponding juvenile crime problem usually exists," said
Councilwoman Laura Chick, who authored the 1995 anti-truancy
ordinance. "When the problem is addressed, crime goes down."
Wesley Mitchell, chief of the Los Angeles Unified School
District's police force: "The greater societal good is being
served by this ordinance. The object ... is not to penalize
youngsters. The goal is to get them into the educational
mainstream."
In Los Angeles, truants face "stiff" penalties, ranging from
$135 for a first offense to $675 for multiple violations.
However, the fee is waived for students who attend school for 60
consecutive days without an unexcused absence.
Police Sgt. Dexter Nelms, from neighboring Torrance, said
his city's year-old anti-truancy law does not "hold a candle" to
a school district policy that requires schools to lock up their
high school campuses at lunch time, reports the paper.
===== GOAL THREE: STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND CITIZENSHIP =====
*2 CHICAGO STUDENT BLUES: THE END OF SOCIAL PROMOTION
Living up to his promise, Chicago school chief Paul Vallas
required the city's public schools to end social promotion,
including holding back eighth graders poised to enter high school
(Johnson, N.Y. TIMES, 6/6). "Everybody is passing tougher
standards, but Chicago is actually holding students to them,"
said Kathy Christie, a spokeswoman for the Education Commission
of the States. "They're a little ahead of the game. We're going
to be seeing a lot of this around the country in the next year or
two."
According to the paper, about 25% of eighth-grade students
were informed this week that they would not graduate with their
classmates. The students would have to remain in elementary
school unless they attend summer school and pass a standardized
test. Defending his program, Vallas queried: "What's wrong with
having children spend another year or two in elementary school?
What's wrong with taking five or six years to get through high
school, if that's what it takes to get them prepared? Why force
all kids through school on the same schedule?"
The TIMES reports that to pass eighth grade last year,
students must attain a score of 7.0, the standard for a beginning
seventh grader on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills. This year's
minimum score is higher and summer school enrollment is expected
to swell, writes the paper.
Students were warned at the start of this school year of the
consequences of performing below par. Still, many students who
were informed that they would not graduate from grade school
became distraught. One school formed "mini-crisis teams"
comprised of teachers and counselors who assured the students
that they still had the opportunity to move on to high school.
Vallas has brought a "toughened, back-to-basics approach" to
teaching and governing the Chicago public schools, notes the
paper. In his second year as chief executive officer, Vallas
already has put more than 100 schools on academic probation and
removed more than a dozen principals from their posts. Student
test scores indicate that Vallas' get-tough philosophy works:
"of the 473 elementary school, 393 had better math scores this
year than last year, and 271 had better reading scores.
Improvement in scores was also recorded at the vast majority of
schools that had been placed on probation a year earlier,"
reports the paper.
Social promotion is a bane to Vallas, who called it
"educational malpractice." Teachers have been supportive of
Vallas' measures, including the end of social promotion. "One of
the most difficult things for a teacher is to motivate students
to take the material seriously," said Matt Gandal, assistant
director for education at the American Federation of Teachers.
Students are pretty smart at knowing what they have to work hard
at, and what they don't. The very real possibility that a
student might be held back, that gives the teaches much more
leverage in the classroom."
The TIMES notes that N.Y. public schools automatically
promote students from eighth grade to ninth once they turn 16
years-of-age. However, that policy is under review by Schools
Chancellor Rudy Crew.
*3 FOURTH-GRADE MATH ACHIEVEMENT: LOOKING GOOD
American fourth-graders landed in the winner's circle after
the Third International Mathematics and Science Study report was
released yesterday. The study, conducted by the U.S. DoEd and
similar government agencies worldwide, found that U.S. fourth-
grade students performed above the international average of the
26 TIMSS countries in mathematics and science.
"Obviously this is not something we would have projected
after the last test of eighth-graders," said Pascal Forgione,
commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics,
which oversaw the report. "It seems our kids are getting a good
foundation in the primary grades. But we need to focus more on
the years after that." Last year when eighth-grade students
worldwide were tested, American students lagged far behind their
international counterparts in the TIMSS math and science exams.
However, the fourth-graders were outscored in science by
students in only one country -- Korea. In math, American fourth-
graders outperformed students in 12 countries, and fell behind
students in 7 other countries (Singapore, Korea, Japan, Hong
Kong, Netherlands, Czech Republic, Austria). Specifically, the
report found that U.S. fourth-graders were above average in nine
math-content areas, but below average in measurement, estimation
and number sense. In science, American fourth-grade students
scored above average in all four content areas: earth science,
life science, physical science and environmental issues and the
nature of science.
"Pursuing Excellence: A Study of U.S. Fourth-Grade
Mathematics and Science Achievement in International Context"
presents findings from the tests, questionnaires and curriculum
analysis performed at the fourth-grade level. Besides comparing
achievement levels of students, the report also "provides
insights into how life in U.S. schools differs from that in other
nations," notes the study.
President Clinton and U.S. Ed Sec Richard Riley released the
good news at a Rose Garden ceremony. While thrilled with the
results, Clinton cautioned educators and the public: "Let's not
kid ourselves. We are still nowhere near where we need to be in
these other areas."
The WASH POST notes that no explanation has been given to
explain the drop in student performance from fourth grade to
eighth grade (Sanchez, 6/11). "Unfortunately, eighth-grade math
has really become kind of the missing link in education," said
Riley. W"e need to focus like a laser beam on boosting math
skills in the middle grades."
Gerry Wheeler, executive director of the National Science
Teachers Association, pointed out that how math and science is
taught may be a strong indicator of student performance. "In
fourth grade, a teacher can seize on the natural curiosity of a
child and roll with it without always having a lot of background
in the subject," he said. "But that's much harder to do in later
grades. The subject matter becomes more complex, and the
competency of teachers in science and math becomes much more
important."
Wheeler added: "This latest study should be another wake-up
call. We can't just sit back and say 'Great, in four years we'll
see these same fourth-graders do just as well,' because they
won't. We still have to change our classroom habits."
Other educators attributed the fourth-graders success with
the nation's emphasis on standards and that elementary school
science classes tend to touch on fewer topics in more detail than
in eighth grade.
The W.S. JOURNAL reports that 12th-grade test results,
"which are expected to be as doleful as those for eighth-
graders," will be released next year (Kronholz, 6/11)
For more information on TIMSS, call 202/219-1333 or e-mail
timss@ed.gov. Visit the National Center for Education Statistics
TIMSS Web Site: www.ed.gov/NCES/timss
===== GOAL SEVEN: SAFE SCHOOLS =====
*4 LAS CRUCES' FASHION STATEMENT: SCHOOL UNIFORMS
Seven schools in the Las Cruces, N.M., school district have
embraced school uniforms as a means of instilling discipline and
a focus on academics (Romo, ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL, 6/11). Current
policy allows individual schools to adopt a standard uniform if
parental support equaling at least two-thirds of the student
enrollment is established. Parents have one vote for each child
at the school.
Parents of Las Cruces' Loma Heights Elementary School first
voted for uniforms in 1996. Principal Danny Miller attests to
improvement in student discipline since the uniform policy went
into effect. "It's definitely been positive," said Miller.
"It's created an attitude; we like to refer to it as the 'pride
inside.' The other thing it's done for us is level the playing
field, and it's done away with the fashion distraction, the baggy
slacks and things like that."
According to the paper, Las Cruces school leaders hail
uniforms as a policy that has promoted academics, discipline and
attendance. During the last five months of 1995, prior to the
Loma Heights uniform policy, the school recorded 15 cases of
fighting. During the same period in 1996, after the uniform
policy was institute, only six cases of fighting were reported,
notes Miller.
Rosalie Gallegos, the district's Safe Schools program
coordinator, countered student charges that uniforms stifle
personal creativity and individuality. "It really encourages
kids to be individuals," she said. "Kids don't have to deal with
the peer pressure of forming different cliques, different groups,
so they can really excel."
Despite its reported success, Las Cruces is the only school
district in N.M. to adopt a school uniform code, writes the
paper. Gov Gary Johnson (R) stated his support of allowing local
schools to establish dress codes. However, he added that he
plans to observe the effect school dress codes have on students.
===== GOING FOR THE GOALS ====
*5 AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN PERSPECTIVE: DATA BOOK ON EDUCATION
The Frederick D. Patterson Research Institute recently
issued "The African American Education Data Book: Preschool
through High School Education," second in a series of three data
books on the African-American experience in the nation's
education system.
"This is the largest, most comprehensive collection of data
ever assembled on the status, progress, challenges, and issues of
African Americans in the nation's schools," said Michael T.
Nettles, executive director of the Frederick D. Patterson
Research Institute of The College Fund/UNCF.
A series of indicators were used to describe African
Americans' progress and achievement in K-12 education,
including: participation in preschool programs and readiness for
school; tested abilities at the point of entering schools;
enrollment in various types of public and private elementary and
secondary schools; rates of attendance, preparation for class;
and participation in extracurricular activities; high school
seniors' participation in community service; and parents'
involvement in their children's schools.
The report draws several conclusions from the findings,
including: African American youngsters participate in preschool
programs at rates that are higher than those of their White
counterparts, although participation rates generally increase
with income; although African American preschoolers demonstrate
skills comparable to the abilities of their White counterparts in
verbal memory skills they scores fare below their peers on tests
measuring vocabulary skills; African American students are less
comfortable than White students in their school environments; and
they are underrepresented among America's public and private
school teachers and principals.
The first volume focussed on higher and adult education and
the third volume, to be released late this summer, will focus on
transitions from high school to college and from high school to
work.
Data on the African American experience in grades K-12
presented in this publication is extensive and comprehensive,
using several national databases. Copies of the data book "The
African American Education Data Book, vol. II can be purchased
for $25.00 plus $3.25 shipping and handling. Contact the
Frederick D. Patterson Research Institute; 703/205-2000. Volumes
I and III are available for the same price.
Visit the institute's Web site at: www.fdpri.patterson-
uncf.org.
THE NATIONAL EDUCATION GOALS
* GOAL 1: READY TO LEARN
All children in America will start school ready to learn.
* GOAL 2: SCHOOL COMPLETION
The high school graduation rate will increase to at least
90 percent.
* GOAL 3: STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND CITIZENSHIP
All students will leave grades 4, 8, and 12 having
demonstrated competency over challenging subject matter including
English, mathematics, science, foreign languages, civics and
government, economics, arts, history, and geography, and every
school in America will ensure that all students earn to use their
minds well, so they may be prepared for responsible citizenship,
further learning, and productive employment in our Nation' modern
economy.
* GOAL 4: TEACHER EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
The Nation's teaching force will have access to programs for
the continued improvement of their professional skills and the
opportunity to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to
instruct and prepare all American students for the next century.
* GOAL 5: MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE
United States students will be first in the world in
mathematics and science achievement.
* GOAL 6: ADULT LITERACY AND LIFELONG LEARNING
Every adult American will be literate and will possess the
knowledge and skills necessary to compete in a global economy and
exercise the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.
* GOAL 7: SAFE, DISCIPLINED, & ALCOHOL- AND DRUG-FREE SCHOOLS
Every school in the United States will be free of drugs,
violence, and the unauthorized presence of firearms and alcohol
and will offer a disciplined environment conducive to learning.
* GOAL 8: PARENTAL PARTICIPATION
Every school will promote partnerships that will increase
parental involvement and participation in promoting the social,
emotional, and academic growth of children.
_______________________________________________________________
| National Education Goals Panel |
| 1255 22nd Street NW; Suite 502; Washington, D.C. 20037 |
| 202/632-0957 (Fax); e-mail: negp@goalline.org |
| Web site: www.negp.gov |
|_______________________________________________________________|
Click here to return to The 1997 Daily Report Card
Click here to return to OFCN's
Academy Program
Click here to return to OFCN's Main Index Page.
John Kurilecjmk@ofcn.org